Sides to Choose
by toomakeyoulaugh
Summary: BatmanXMen crossover. Everyone has secrets some more dangerous than others. There's a war coming... Takes place after Dick Grayson's return. Batgirl, Nightwing, Robin, Batman, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Cyclops, Colossus, and so on
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: **I have not yet finished my other story, but wanted to get this little thing that I have brewing started. I am combining two worlds that I love. Taking what I know from both animated and comic worlds plus a few ideas, this is a crossover between Batman & X-Men. Hey it could happen. Love to hear your reviews. Hope you can figure out the people I'm not naming. :P

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing

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_Summer Gleason's reports_

"_In serious news, the mutant population has been high on the discussion lists from politics to street riots recently due to the discussion of The Mutant Registration Act. The bill, if passed, will make sure that every mutant and their capabilities will be listed to the public. Professor Charles Xavier, an avid speaker against the bill, will be attending several debates and events in the next few weeks, starting here in Gotham."_

"_On a lighter side, the recent rumors of Wayne Enterprises and Worthington Labs combining on a new development to bring more jobs to the city have created much excitement lately. A spokesperson from Wayne Enterprises made a statement today declaring nothing has yet been set in stone, but both companies are anxious to work together. Warren Worthington III just recently took over the company after the passing of his father Warren Worthington II."_

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"I hate these stupid parties." The fifteen year old named Tim Drake tugged on his tuxedo tie.

"After awhile kid they all just blur into each other, _but_ business is business I guess." His older adoptive brother Dick Grayson replied back to him as he tossed another bite size cracker into his mouth. "Where's the Commish and Babs tonight?"

"I think their not coming." Tim stated as he watch the crowd start to stir. "What do you think is going on?"

The voices around them grew and the word "Xavier" was spoke several times. Dick glanced over his shoulder as he heard one woman call the mutant population "savages, a disgusting race."

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"Bruce let me introduce you to a very close friend of mine." Warren turned to the bald headed man in a wheelchair. "This is Professor Charles Xavier." Bruce obliged and stuck out his hand shaking the Professor's.

"I have heard much about you sir. It is a pleasure to finally meet you." The tall, dark haired man spoke pleasantly.

* * *

Dick and Tim watched from the sidelines as the tall blonde man known as Warren Worthington III make his introductions.

"Do you think that is his security team or just some friends?" The younger boy spoke up gesturing to the three that followed him. Two men passed six feet tall, both wearing sunglasses, one with red lenses, the other black and a lot more relaxed looking, smoking a cigarette. The last one being a dark skinned woman who was also tall dressed in a violet dress. Her hair on the other sorts was nothing of dark, but of snow white.

"Both." A women's voice spoke up.

"Thought you weren't coming tonight?" Dick said looking at the red headed Barbara Gordon, dressed in her short black dress, out the corner of his eye, still watching the introduction ceremony taking place.

"No, my Dad wasn't coming tonight." She coldly spoke, unusual for her and Dick noticed.

"Why is something wrong?" Dick took his eyes of the group he was watching to look fully at her. She was surprised by his concern considering once that they were called a couple, but the idea was thrown out of the window when he left _unannounced_ for two years and was never discussed after his recent return. She let a slight smile on her face until he spoke his next sentence. "Is there someone out that he is looking for?"

Tim excitedly shifting in his spot to Dick's words anxiously waiting to leave if there was a problem. Dick had tried very hard not to become the man that he called an adoptive father, but in every way he had. _Always _about business.

"Actually the complete opposite." Taking her eyes off Dick and turning to the man in a permanent seated position across the room. "The man he is _looking for_ is here." With that she took a step forward leaving the two men and their food to watch.

Barbara walked up to the group gathered around the man that everyone was gossiping about getting the attention of the dark skinned women who then greeted her with a white smile and hugging her.

"Did you know that she knew them?" Tim leaned over to the side to whisper to his older brother.

"No." He replied back as his eyes narrowed as he watched her being introduced to the man with dark sunglasses who took the time to kiss the back of her hand.


	2. Not Dr Phil

**Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, hope this is something to hold you over for week or so. Sorry for any mistakes, wanted to get this out to you.  
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**Disclaimer: Don't own anything, Marvel or DC.**_  
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_Two days earlier…_

The Wednesday morning sun of Gotham City shined through the windows of the never ending hallway lighting the way for the butler headed for his employer's master bedroom carrying a tray with a mornings essentials.

The bedroom was of massive proportions, making most average homes still look minimal to it. Setting down the tray on the dark mahogany dresser, the loyal butler opened up the large drapes casting rays on an empty, unmade bed. With a sigh, and starting his morning routine, he walked over to the dark sheets and down comforter, smoothing, creasing, and fluffing pillows for no one else to see, but himself and his employer.

It had been a long time since his master had brought anyone of an "interest" home. He was more work than play these days. The butler didn't know if it was because of his master's choice or just by bad luck. The butler gave another sigh as he reminiscence, starting with his master's first love, a red head named Andrea. He'd even given her a ring; only two break his heart twice for her thirst for revenge. Then, there was Susan and he'd even married her only to find out it was never a real marriage because the girl herself wasn't even real due to the fact that she was a plant with an evil plan.

There was also Talia, the butler shifted another pillow, a beautiful Romanian girl with a crazed father who wanted and had immortality. When people discussed the loony In-laws, they had nothing on her psychotic father. After all his name did mean "demon", that should have been a big "red light" there, making anyone stay clear from his little girl. There was also a reporter that his master spoke of a few times that had a permanent address of Metropolis, and had thought highly of her. Not because she was already independent and talented, but she already had a thing for another costumed hero that his master was quite competitive with, but respected. Respected enough to know that there was something between the two that he could never compare with.

"Compare with" the butler thought of the words as he lifted the wet towel from the floor, slinging it over his arm, gracefully. The only one who ever compared with his master on a one to one level, ego or business, was a dark haired woman named Selina. The two had taken interest in each other years ago, crossing paths both day and night. She had made his master smile again like his first love had once shown him and made him think if his life was on the right track, but his master had in the end, given up on her because she was really and truly more independent then he would ever be. Anyone looking at his master would think that is what he would of really wanted being that he was still the billionaire playboy many had named him to be. The butler would have bet the family's fortune and enterprise that if his master ever confronted Selina on his all and darkest secrets, she still be there, no matter at what cost to her. Selina was really every man's dream in and out. Looks, intelligence, personality, and the fact that she enjoyed wearing a black leather cat suit every chance she got was always considered a plus.

"Morning Alfred." The British butler was greeted by his master that he worried so much about at times. He had grown up before his eyes, resembling his father (God bless his soul) more and more these days. Dark hair, color of rich coal, which always matched the perfect black suit. His eyes, although, were never considered dark since they matched a summer sky, a gift from his mother (God bless her soul).

"Good morning Master Bruce." Alfred replied back in a sing song voice. "I hope you did get enough sleep last night." As he watched the man he considered his son approach his dresser mirror fixing his tie giving himself a once over in the mirror before opening his top drawer that kept his daily selections of watches.

"More then usual Alfred." Bruce replied back, sliding on a silver watch band with a black square face, snapping the latch. "Quiet night last night, just a few small timers. Anything good in the paper?"

"Like you said sir," returning from the master suite's bathroom after depositing the wet towel, "just a few small timers. Although there was an interesting story in the local section of an elderly woman who claims she saw an angel in the park."

"Trust me Alfred; there are no such things of angels in Gotham."

"A beg to differ with you sir," He paused fixing a lamps position on the bed side table "as for one has taken up residence in the downstairs office."

Bruce paused in his now seated position as he put on his dress shoes. "Angel?"

"That would be Miss Gordon sir." Bruce nodded to Alfred and continued with his shoes. "She fall asleep working on something again? Wait, she wasn't there last night when I got back." Stopping once again to look at the elderly man.

"I often wonder sir how it is possible for you to solve riddles under pressure thirty seconds or less, but are completely unaware of the things that happen here at the manor."

"Well, why is she here Alfred and not at home?" Bruce waved his hand in response, waiting for his loyal friend's answer.

"That is not my position to ask sir." Alfred stood his ground, arms folded behind his back.

"Really now? And may I ask you who that would be?" Placing both hands on his knees, sitting up straighter.

"Yes, sir you may and that person should be you."

"Me?" Bruce stood, walking towards the tray with his morning supplies.

"After all sir, you are her mentor." Bruce sighed to Alfred's statement, grabbing the cup that was steaming and the folded newspaper. Alfred had always folded the newspapers with the more _important_ news and articles so that they would be the first things that would catch Bruce's attention in the morning. Today, Alfred had opted for the "Angel" story; Bruce gave a mental "pfiff" to such a theory.

"Alfred, I really don't have time to deal with a thing like that. I have a meeting this morning"

"I actually believe you do have time sir since the car will not be leaving for another twenty minutes."

"I am more then capable of driving myself to the office Alfred." Bruce looked away from the paper towards _his _mentor.

"I do realize that sir, but wear do we keep the _rolls_ keys at?"

"……." Bruce said a mental swear.

"Right sir, twenty minutes then." Alfred turned and headed towards the bedroom's exit.

"You really think I'm the one who should talk to her?" Bruce asked seriously making Alfred to face him once more.

"Actually sir, yes I do. After all you are Batman." With that the British man was gone leaving Bruce by himself.

"I'm Batman…not Dr. Phil." He mumbled to himself, grabbing his coffee and paper, heading for the South-wing stairs.


	3. Dreamscapes

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming.

Disclaimer: I own zilch!

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It was as if everything was at a stand still, moving in slow motion. The people and the sounds around her where cloudy, but she still knew who they were. She noticed Tim, hanging around the food table, picking some unwanted items off of a cracker, smelling it, then placing it in his mouth.

A quick flash came, changing to what seemed to be a couple. A woman with black hair, picking at something, imaginary or real, off of her male companion's jacket, he becoming more relaxed to her touch and the pet name she used for him, _Smallville_.

Another quick flash came again, this one of her and a man kissing the back of her hand, eyes shielded by dark glasses speaking French with a heavy southern accent.

With another quick flash, she saw Bruce, standing on the balcony of Wayne Enterprises, with his back to the crowd. She even watched him as his shoulders tensed up as a dark haired woman approached him, speaking to him, making Bruce face her.

She heard a large explosion, followed by screams.

She saw Angel's wings, and Tim gawk at her for something she did.

She noticed Dick quickly glance over to the balcony that Bruce and the women were on.

_She watched her Father break eye contact with her and walk in the opposite direction._

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Barbara woke with a start as she came back to reality, waking up in the lower office of Wayne Manor. She heard footsteps echoing from the staircase in the other room, and her body tensed up hoping that she would go unnoticed, but her hopes were broken.

Bruce had found her laying on the infirmary's love seat, with a blanket brought up to her chin, and eyes blood shot. Setting down his coffee and newspaper on the table in front of her, and making that his seat, gave a sigh, checked his watch and spoke, "Well?"

"….." Barbara stayed silent.

"Alfred told me you stayed here last night." He shifted so that his arms rested on his knees, hands clasped together.

"Alfred has a big mouth." Barbara finally spoke, her voice sounding hoarse.

"True." Bruce shrugged to her comment and his statement. "Do you not want to talk about it?" She nodded a "yes" to his question. "_Well must tell Alfred I tried."_ Giving a shrug he stood understanding that everyone needs their alone time, started to make his exit, when Barbara cleared her throat, making him pause.

"My Dad and I got in a fight….a big one."

"Oh?" He turned back to her, but stayed standing. She moved to a seated position now, letting the blanket fall to her waist, revealing a gray tank top, arms wrapped around her. He never knew Barbara and her Dad to argue. They had always had that perfect loving family relationship, something that Bruce was sometimes jealous of. They even worked together at the Gotham City Police Station. Commissioner Jim Gordon was the same age as his father would have been if he was still alive, although Barbara was at least ten years younger then him. "How big?"

"Big enough that I came here instead so that he wouldn't show up at my apartment. Big enough that I shut off my cell phone after he called it ten times. Big enough that I already called into work saying that I felt sick with something."

"That big huh?" He took his seat once more on the coffee table.

"Yup." Bruce waited for her to elaborate, but it never came.

"Is….he mad about something?" Bruce questioned.

"No….just disappointed." She spoke softly looking at the ground, as she pulled her red hair up into a knot. Bruce had learned a long time ago from Tim that Bruce could be mad at him all he wanted; it was the _"disappointment"_ that always hurt.

"Did you finally tell him?" Bruce knew that it would all come down to this one day. He was Batman, Dick was Nightwing, Tim was Robin, and Barbara was Batgirl. Bruce and the boys never had to deal with immediate family members knowing the other half. He was lucky that he didn't have to sneak around his own home. He never knew what it must have been like when Barbara joined the boy's club.

With a sigh, she finally made eye contact with him, blue meeting blue. "No Bruce, I didn't tell him." Bruce realized that maybe for once that it might not have to do with her _night job, _but instead of real life issues. Barbara gave another sigh, "I'm sorry, I just have a lot going on right now." resting her hand on her forehead.

He nodded, but stayed silent until a clearing of a throat was heard from the doorway. "It's time to go Master Bruce."

"Coming Alfred." Bruce replied back not taking his eyes off of Barbara and Alfred made his exit. "Stay here as long as you need to Barbara." The comment made her hand drop from her head and look at him once more. She was usually the non-stressed one, always happy, maybe it was time the real her was coming to the surface. "Just come up stairs when you're ready." And with that, he was gone.

Barbara listened as his steps faded away up the stone stairs into the main levels of Wayne Manor. Glancing at the newspaper that he left behind, an article title caught her eye.

**Angel in the Park**

**By Summer Gleason**

_She saw Angel's wings…_

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"Bruce!" Barbara called his name from the front stairs of Wayne Manor as he was just about to get into the car that Alfred had chosen for the day, stopping to stand and face her. In a rush to catch him before he left, she was still bare foot in pajama pants and her gray tank. "Can I ask you a personal question?" A few red locks of hair had come loose and framed her face. She was clutching the newspaper in right hand and with her left she brushed back the hair that had fallen.

"Shoot." He simply stated.

"When was the last time..," Glancing in the direction of Alfred who was holding open the door for his employer, gave a nod, and took his position in the driver seat, leaving the two alone. "When was the last time…," she continued on in a lower voice, "you saw Selina Kyle?"

That wasn't the personal question he was expecting, for that question was a little too personal, and Barbara noticed it too as he stood a little straighter.

He cleared his throat and looked to the side, afraid that if he made eye contact with her, she might notice how much it really bothered him. "Umm…I think about a year now, why?" Actually it was thirteen months and two weeks, but a year sounded better.

"Where were you when you last saw her?"

"It was when she was being chased down by the cat cult and then she disappeared afterwards." Of course he knew that she headed for Paris, but he never let anyone else know about that.

"Were you ever bombed with her on a balcony as yourself?"

Bruce looked at her a little confused, "I was shot at once with Lois Lane on a balcony, but really don't remember a situation with Selina." Barbara nodded and looked away, headed back for the house. "Are you feeling okay Barbara?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just was wondering is all." She replied back with her back to him. Bruce shrugged, got into the car and left.

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As the gate was opening for one vehicle to exit, another entered. Bruce gave a nod to Dick as they passed each other, Dick on his motorcycle.

Dick headed inside to his old bedroom, grabbing some of the minor things that he left behind, making it as bare as it could be, and sliding it all into a bag that he found in his closet. After he felt that everything was cleared out, he headed for the kitchen knowing that the refrigerator was bare at his home. Alfred always made sure there was something made up for an easy grab.

Dick always laughed to himself about how large of a house it was for just one man, a butler, and a kid. Tim was at his last day of school before summer started, and that met more Robin out with Batman at night. Dick was okay with that considering it would keep the old man off of him.

Grabbing some left over pot roast and heating it up in the microwave, Dick headed for the den to watch some television. He was off till next week from work from his other night job as a bartender in a local club, so that meant with a good rest this afternoon; Nightwing would be good to go for a few nightly patrols.

"I'm I bothering you Hank?" Dick heard her voice through the library's door.

"Not at all, is this regarding business or pleasure?" A man's voice spoke from the other end of the speaker phone.

"Both." Barbara quickly replied back. Dick paused by the door with a fork in his hand and his hot food in the other, that he easily forgot about, peeked through the opened door to see Barbara sitting at Bruce's desk in her pajama's.

"Which one first my dear?" The cheery male voice spoke up again.

"Business." She spoke at the box on the table, leaning forward, undoing her hair so that it fell around her face, running her hand through it and with a sigh, "It's starting again."

"I see. How long has it been going on?"

"Just a few days and I'm getting the headaches again."

"Any other side effects?"

"Can't sleep."

"Figures as much my dear, but what about movements, shifting, and things like that?"

"I haven't been really trying."

"My dear I have said it once and I'll say it again, you cannot cage such actions. They will tear you apart from the inside out."

"I know." Barbara gave a sigh a let her hand fall to the desk with a thud.

"No, you don't know because if you knew then you would have done it." The man's voice scolded her and she only laughed to his sternness.

"Okay." She replied back giving in to the man on the phone.

"Please try it, you are very talented at what you do Barbara, I don't understand sometimes on what you are trying to prove. Does this have to do with your father?"

"How bout we switch to the pleasure side now." Barbara stated quickly. "How is everyone?"

"I take that as a yes." Hank replied back. "Best at what could be expected with Jean gone now."

"How is Scott doing?"

"He buries himself in his work and the school. He has learned to deal with it as the others have. Everything happens for a reason I say, but how much can one person take."

"I wonder the same thing too at times." She glanced to the picture of Thomas and Martha Wayne, Bruce's parents, that is placed above the library's fireplace.

"Are you referring to the man's house you are calling from?"

"Yeah. I feel bad for him at times, ya know? I just hope that he doesn't end up alone in this huge house."

"Are you working there today?"

"No, I stayed her last night. Actually, I'm going to be staying her for a few days I think. With everything going on right now, this is where I need to be. Besides where else can I go? So, if you need me call me on my phone or here. Say you're my passionate rich lover from, I don't know…"

"Westchester?"

She gave a laugh, "Westchester and that you have called upon me to take me to…"

"A science convention?"

"I was thinking Fiji, but I'll guess I'll take anything right now." Dick watched her shrug and lean back in the desk's chair with a smile on her face.

"Make sure you take care of yourself and…." With a loud crash over the speaker, Hank came back on, "I got to go. I specifically told Bobby to not mix those chemicals and of course he did."

Dick heard two more men arguing through the speaker system and a "Kurt did it." said by one of them.

"Bye Hank and thanks."

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"When did you get here?" Barbara asked as she entered the kitchen, watching Dick put some dirty dishes in the sink, as she retrieved a bottled water from the fridge, he didn't reply.

"Earth to Dick?"

"Don't you think I should ask you when _you_ got here?" He snapped, turning to face her.

"Okay?" Barbara looked at him confused. "Last night, after Bruce came back." Dick never thought she would be so upfront about this. How could she, how could _he_?

Dick felt his jaw clench a little, giving her a once over in her pajamas. She never looked better and that made him madder than hell.

"What's your deal?" Barbara spoke up before Dick could make his exit from the kitchen.

"I just don't understand why….why you think you had no other place to go?" He spoke softly before he left, leaving her by herself.

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Twenty minutes later Dick walked into his loft, setting his bag down on his bed. Walking over to his closet to retrieve a box that he never unpacked, placing it next to the bag on the bed, he opened it. To make matters more depressing looking right at him inside the box was the picture of him and Barbara taken before he ever left.

Barbara and him always seemed to jog around their relationship that they had once had since after he had come back to Gotham. They always did get along when they were a couple before, but now every time they did get together for a night on the town it was either business or their alter egos.

When he showed up unexpected at the manor that one day, announcing his return, he had expected her to argue with him or ignore him, but she did the complete opposite. She acted as if he was just an old friend from college, slapped a big smile on her face, and stood next to Bruce.

Opening up his bag, he removed the picture that was taken of Bruce and him at another professional party, Barbara had been there as well. It was the same weekend that she was taken away from him by Mr. Freeze for some evil blood transfusion plot. It was before either one of them ever found out who they really were, before Batgirl and Robin unmasked.

Life seemed simpler then, Dick thought to himself as he placed the picture of him and Bruce in the box along with the other photograph, closing the lid to it.


	4. Meet Katherine

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Note: Sorry it took so long! My computer is acting funny. Hope you like it.

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"_When was the last time you saw Selina Kyle?"_

Barbara's words echoed thru Bruce's mind as he looked out his office window to the city below him. This was the only time that his beloved treasure, the city that his parents believed in so much looked untouched and safe.

Bruce shifted in his spot as he stood still looking at the random rooftops. It had turned out to be a sunny cloudless day and the people of Gotham had jumped on it. Bruce's attentions shifted to a rooftop below him. Gotham's Gym had a roof top pool and health bar, watching people swim and two women in a serious conversation over protein shakes, bringing a small smirk to his face. _"Probably daughters of the high society of Gotham." _he thought to himself. Glancing a few buildings north, he saw an elderly man, hanging wet laundry on a clothes line in the summer sun, the man appearing to be whistling to himself.

Bruce's eyes starting scanning over other building tops, a woman laying out in the sun, reading a book. A man cutting flowers from his rooftop garden, smelling them. Selina standing a top of the building no more that two blocks from his looking back at him.

Bruce did a double take bringing his eyes back to her as her now longer hair blew around her face, a few strands landing across her eyes. Bruce shifted a little straighter, pressing a hand to the cool window glass. She had a white tee on with blue jeans, her hands in the back pockets, dark black sunglasses a top her head that blended into her raven hair. She smiled at him.

Bruce was about to respond back to her when the sound of the intercom buzzed on and his secretary spoke, making Bruce look away from his window at his desk. "Mr. Wayne…Mr. Worthington is here to see you." Bruce didn't respond back to her as he quickly looked back to where Selina was, bust she was _gone._ Bruce quickly scanned the tops of the buildings, but nothing, no sign of her anywhere.

"Mr. Wayne?" His secretary spoke once more before Bruce headed for the intercom, pressing the two way button, "Send him in Katherine."

"Bruce." The six foot tall man acknowledged Bruce with his hand stretched to shake Bruce's own. Warren could really be considered the blonde and younger version of Bruce himself, Warren only having a few years on Dick. Although, their choice of clothing were complete opposite. Bruce opted for more the business norm, with simple neutral ties and dark suites. Warren chose brighter color ties with _extremely_ long business jackets.

"Good to see you Warren." Bruce addressed him. "Did you need something? I thought we had everything planned out from this morning meetings." Taking his seat at hi large desk, motioning for Warren to sit opposite from him, Bruce's eyes glancing back to his window and the world outside it.

"Yes everything is still planned, but…" Warren sat down, but noticed Bruce's attentions directed towards the large wall of glass. "I'm sorry Bruce, is something wrong?"

"Hmm? Oh…no. I'm sorry, just thought I saw something is all?" Bruce shrugged glancing out the window, rubbing his chin, then switching back to Warren.

Warren shook it off, "Anyways, the real reason why I am here is because I wanted to talk to you more on a personal level, without a committee in front of us."

"Is that so?" Bruce shifted in his chair, becoming more stern.

"Look…I loved my father, but did I agree with everything he did…no. As long as the company was making money, he was happy. I had my doubts about you Bruce, but someone close to me said that I could trust you and your choices."

"Really? Who was that?" Bruce asked, in his complete business tone.

"That's not important." Warren replied quickly. "The fact is I believe them. I feel that you have made a great deal in this city more ways then one. I also know that you have had some business deals fall through with Lex Corp. and I would like to know the reason for this."

"Wayne Enterprises name will note have anything to do with the manufacturing of lethal weapons, Lex Luthor thought otherwise." Bruce made eye contact with him from across the table.

"I was hoping that was the answer I was going to hear. To be honest Bruce," Warren spoke as he shifted, crossing his legs, so that his ankle rested on his knee. "I don't like Lex Luthor one bit, probably never will. My father thought it was okay to do business with a man like him, I think otherwise. As of last night, Worthington Industries cut all ties with him."

"How did Lex take that?" Bruce questioned.

"I would say he is _"bitter"_ about it." Warren smirked back.

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Twenty minutes later Bruce and Warren exited his office on a better understanding of personal feelings regarding Luthor Corp., the clicking of keys from Katherine's desk could be heard. 

"I lost a few bucks on that game." Warren spoke to Bruce is regards to the recent Gotham Knight game, Bruce smirked, but his attention was brought to women starting to stand as they approached.

Anyone passing by would bring their attention to her, standing as tall as Warren, with her purple hair cascading down her back and over her left eye. She was dressed in a dark gray skirt and white blouse, waiting patiently for the men to finish their conversation, Bruce glancing in her direction.

"Oh, I'm sorry Bruce. This is Elizabeth Braddock, my…my assistant." Warren searching for the right words as he introduced them.

"Nice to meet you." Bruce shook her feminine hand.

"Nice to meet you as well sir, please call me Betsy. The only one who really still calls me Elizabeth is my brother, and that is when he is extremely up set with me." The voice that came out was nothing what Bruce expected considering the woman in front of him had Asian features, but a British accent.

Bruce nodded to her request, looking differently at her like he had seen her one before. "Well, we should be going. A friend of ours told us of this great place to eat at around the corner, a little Italian place." Warren spoke up.

"Gino's." Bruce responded to him. "Actually, a friend of mine loves the place." It was Barbara's favorite place to eat.

"Then we will see you Friday night at the business dinner, till then Bruce."

"Pleasure doing business with you Warren." Bruce shook his hand once more before the couple entered the elevator.

* * *

"Did you get anything off of him?" Warren asked Betsy once the elevator doors shut in front of them. 

"Nothing, pretty dark. Maybe she is right." The Asian Brit shifted her hair over her shoulder revealing her red tattoo over her left eye.

"Hmmmm. Maybe."

"He had a complete wall up the entire time, but that doesn't mean that is a bad thing. You and I have been trained to protect our minds by the best, maybe he has too. Although two things stick out…"

"What is that?" Warren turned to look at her.

"Well, I kept getting an image of this cat." She shrugged back.

"And the other?"

"Chinese. Pork fried rice actually." Warren glanced at her. "I can't help it. You brought up lunch and it popped in his mind too." Silence fell between them as the elevator descended floors.

"You wanna make out in the elevator?" Warren asked looking at the digital numbers decrease.

"Mr. Worthington, as your _assistant_, that is not in my job description."

* * *

"Katherine why don't you order lunch. Chinese?" Bruce suggested in front of her desk, Katherine nodded back to him. "What is my agenda for the rest of the day?" 

Katherine had been his secretary for the last four months. Standing only five foot six inches tall, with long wavy brunette hair, she was young, spunky, smart, spoke her mind, and was very computer savvy. She should have been working as a computer programmer, not as his secretary.

"Well," Katherine stood up and followed him into his office with her note pad, Bruce stopping to pick up a feather from the chair in front of his desk. "As for your appointments, you are cleared for the day. Although, I need two statements from you."

"Go ahead." Bruce said as he sat down at his desk, twirling the white long feather back fourth between his fingers.

Katherine cleared her throat, "Gotham Art & Design Magazine wants to know what you love about art." Bruce looked at her with a less interested expression on his face. "Right…I guess it will turn into more of what Katherine likes most about art. Then the next, which _just is _life or death,"she spoke dramatically, "Who will you, be bringing to Friday night festivities? Buffy, Bambi, the girl who thought you spelled engagement with an "I". That one was quite fun."

The one thing with Katherine was that she was nothing like his previous secretaries. She reminded Bruce of a very young female Alfred. She poked fun of him and never had that nervous habit of making an idiot of herself when ever around him.

"I am assuming Warren will be bringing himself a date." Bruce gave a sigh looking down at his desk. "Didn't that woman look familiar?" He looked back to her.

"I think anyone with bright purple hair would stand out." She shrugged.

"No." Bruce leaned back in his over stuffed leather chair. "I've seen her before somewhere."

"So…solo?" Katherine questioned.

"Yeah solo." Bruce replied back.

"Then I guess on Monday we can read all about Bruce Wayne rumored to be gay. I love those days." Shifting in front of his desk.

"Why do they always jump to that conclusion?" Bruce questioned her.

"Well, I think being single and over thirty, plus I don't think the red cumber bun helps."

"That is what Barb says." Bruce shrugged. "What about that Braddock woman?"

"I have a feeling she is claimed." Kitty making notes on her notepad.

"Yeah, figures. Well if Warren is bringing his assistant, then maybe I should bring mine."

"Do I have to die my hair purple?"

"No."

"Are you going to wear the red inner tube underneath your tux jacket?"

"Guess not now."

"Then I better get up to date on how to speak bimbo then, Katherine might sound to smart." She put the pencil to her month, thinking a moment.

"Go by Kat or Kate?"

"Kitty?" Katherine suggested back, Bruce smiled.

"I'll order lunch then and then I'll make you an appointment to get a new tux tailored for you."

"Thanks."

"Anytime." Katherine turned to exit his office.

"Vogue! I saw her on the cover of Vogue!" Bruce spoke as he snapped his fingers finally placing the Braddock woman.


	5. When Visions Become Reality

"What a dingy hole in the wall place

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

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"_What a shit hole."_ She thought to herself as she entered _Mike's Tavern_, a dark bar that she would have never picked in the first place if it wasn't for him picking it first. It was one of those places that you would walk into, the music would stop and all the clinking of glasses would seize because everyone would stop to look at you because you were not one of the regulars. She winced slightly as the door to the dark, smoky cavern closed behind her with a thud. She got a look over from some guys playing pool, but they lost interest in her quickly and continued on with their game.

Taking a glance around noticing that she was the first one there, she weaved her way through tables and took a seat at the bar, leaving her denim jacket on, and shifting in her seat to get comfortable. She hated lying, well it wasn't really lying, but it sure felt like it. Somehow she convinced Bruce and the boys that she needed a night alone and not on patrol, which was the truth, but mainly because she knew she needed to check in too. Bruce had given her a once over when she told him that she needed to take care of some business as they stood in the cave as he worked on his utility belt with a small screwdriver. He just shook his head in approval and continued on with his work. _"That was a lot easier than I ever imagined."_ Barb thought, but didn't fight it and left quietly.

"What can I get ya miss?" The burly haired bartender asked her from behind the bar.

"Water." She replied back quickly with a smirk, noticing that the stool next to her was being occupied and the presence made her feel as if a weight was being lifted over her shoulders.

"Make that two Labatt's, bottle." The man in the stool spoke up, lighting his cigar with a match with a large callused hands, she nodding in acknowledgement towards the bartender for approval.

"You know those things will kill you." She spoke up, still not looking at him.

"Well, so will a lot of things, but I doubt these ever will." He replied back with long puff on his cigar, sliding the beer bottle over in her direction, which she accepted taking a swig. "Anything new?"

"Nothings changed. Still the same signs as I was getting before. Will you be there tomorrow night?"

"Not my kind of scene if you know what I mean, but I will be on stand by." He replied back to her watching her begin to pick at her bottle's label so that it worked its way off the brown glass. "You sure about this kid?"

"No, but better to be safe then sorry, right?" This time she turned in her head towards him, finally getting a full look at him, he nodded in approval, taking a swig of his bottle.

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Even before the car could come to a complete stop in front of Wayne Tower the flashes and pops had already started making Katherine's eyes squint slightly, trying to adjust as she waited for Alfred to open the car door for her and Bruce to exit.

"Mr. Wayne! Mr. Wayne!" She heard over and over again as the paparazzi called his name, hoping to get a great comment or quote, but only in return taking the time to pose for them with his current date. After what seemed like one hundred cameras "clicking" simultaneously, Bruce gave a nod and his best casual smirk, taking Katherine by the hand and leading her into the main doors of the great skyscraper.

As soon as the elevator doors shut, he gave a slight sigh of relief as they rode to the top of the nearly sixty story building. Katherine unmorally quiet for herself, fidgeting with her hair over one ear, standing right by his side. He had done what she had suggested and had a new tux made up for him on such a short notice from his tailor and this time around chose a silver blue tuxedo tie with black jacket and white shirt. Katherine, or Kitty as she was being called tonight, chose a red Asian style gown that was embroidered with gold thread and buttons, a slit on either side of her dress showing off each of her legs that finished into a red strapping heal.

"Your eyes will stop seeing the spots in a moment." Bruce made the comment to her, adjusting his cufflink on his wrist, she only nodding to his comment.

Even though Kitty was Bruce's date, the woman still horded around him no matter if she was behind his side or not, the women speaking to him if she did not even exist.

Finally a blonde about Kitty's height addressed her, "So your Wayne's new favorite of the month. _What_ do you two have in common?"

Bruce stiffened a little, taking a sip of the glass of champagne, so that Kitty could answer. "Common? Nothing if you ask me. I just use him for sex…. excuse me." Bruce chocked on her words and the other woman gasped, as Kitty exited the group headed in the opposite direction towards the bar.

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Dick and Tim watched from the sidelines as the tall blonde man known as Warren Worthington III make his introductions.

"Do you think that is his security team or just some friends?" The younger boy spoke up gesturing to the three that followed him. Two men passed six feet tall, both wearing sunglasses, one with red lenses, the other black and a lot more relaxed looking, smoking a cigarette. The last one being a dark skinned woman who was also tall dressed in a violet dress. Her hair on the other sorts was nothing of dark, but of snow white.

"Both." A women's voice spoke up.

"Thought you weren't coming tonight?" Dick said looking at the red headed Barbara Gordon, dressed in her short black dress, out the corner of his eye, still watching the introduction ceremony taking place.

"No, my Dad wasn't coming tonight." She coldly spoke, unusual for her and Dick noticed.

"Why is something wrong?" Dick took his eyes of the group he was watching to look fully at her. She was surprised by his concern considering once that they were called a couple, but the idea was thrown out of the window when he left _unannounced_ for two years and was never discussed after his recent return. She let a slight smile on her face until he spoke his next sentence. "Is there someone out that he is looking for?"

Tim excitedly shifting in his spot to Dick's words anxiously waiting to leave if there was a problem. Dick had tried very hard not to become the man that he called an adoptive father, but in every way he had. _Always _about business.

"Actually the complete opposite." Taking her eyes off Dick and turning to the man in a permanent seated position across the room. "The man he is _looking for_ is here." With that she took a step forward leaving the two men and their food to watch.

Barbara walked up to the group gathered around the man that everyone was gossiping about getting the attention of the dark skinned women who then greeted her with a white smile and hugging her.

"Did you know that she knew them?" Tim leaned over to the side to whisper to his older brother.

"No." He replied back as his eyes narrowed as he watched her being introduced to the man with dark sunglasses who took the time to kiss the back of her hand.

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After Barb had finally gotten the chance to tune out Warren and Bruce's conversation regarding more financial business ideas that she knew Bruce probably give two shits about in real life, she slipped away from them and headed towards the bar.

"Vodka tonic with a lime please." She requested from the bartender.

"If you keep drinking like that, _someone_ might just take advantage of you."

Barbara smiled to herself as her head dropped a little, excepting the glass from the bartender. "Is that a promise Robert Louis?"

"If you want it to be." The sandy brown haired man spoke. "Don't look so sad, things seem to be going smoothly." Setting his empty glass on the bar top, signaling for it to be refilled once more.

"They do, don't they?" Barb replied back glancing in the direction of where Dick and Tim seemed to have never moved away from the _food _tables, returning her eyes to the man beside her. "How are ya Bobby?"

"Besides crashing parties…not bad, could be worse." He shrugged, glancing to the band that was playing on the man made stage for the night. "The band is pretty decent."

"Hadn't paid attention to it really?" Barb replied back, taking a sip of her drink, looking away from Bobby, scanning the crowd.

"See, that's your problem, been hanging around dark and serious," Bobby wiggled his fingers in front of her face making her laugh to herself. "The nights almost over with, and things are going well."

"How you figure?"

"Well, your drinking so, your halfway back to cool, but maybe you need to I don't know, maybe just work out or something." Bobby shrugged his shoulders glancing back to the band, giving the band leader a nod, striking up a very familiar tune.

Barb almost spit her drink out, swallowing hard. "Bobby, no! Not here." She spoke through clenched teeth, setting her drink down with a clank, turning fully towards him.

"Don't want to hear it Barb, don't want to hear it." Setting his own drink down and taking her hand dragging her to the dance floor. "We need to show this city folk how we do things, besides it's not like we are going to get kicked out or something." Finally reaching the spot on the dance floor within the dancing couples who were giving their best attempt to jive to the song that was one of her and Bobby's favorite, Bobby giving her a quick tug so that she swung around in front and faced him.

"Bobby please." Barb pleaded with him, trying to force her hand out of his grasp that was placed on his chest, his other arm around her waist.

"Barb if you don't start dancing, I will sing _this_ song at the top of my lungs and then we will for sure be getting everyone's attention."

"You wouldn't dare?"

"Babe, don't dare the darer?" He gasped for a large breath.

"Okay!" Barb shifted her foot to the side in sync with Bobby, rocking back and forth to the song.

"You are going to have to do better than that you know." Bobby challenged her with sigh.

"Just try to keep up _Iceboy_." Barb replied back to her as he spun her out and back in quickly, Barb sliding her foot along with Bobby's, her irritation quickly fading away being quickly replaced with the smile.

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"I was reading in _Fortune_ about how the economic growth…" Warren stopped in mid-sentence to Bruce hearing a few cheers and the band playing _Jackie Wilson's, Baby Work Out_. "Dammit Bobby this isn't a wedding."

"What's going on?" Bruce replied back turning his attention towards the small crowd on the dance floor.

"Sorry Bruce, my friend Bobby can be somewhat of the really annoying, but everybody loves him, very distant cousin."

"That's an understatement." Betsy said under her breathe sipping on her glass of champagne.

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Before they knew the crowd was growing around them and Barbara didn't care. For the first time in a long time she was having fun with an old friend. Something that was long over due. Bobby spun her around quickly releasing her and proceeding to slide across the dance floor on his knees getting the crowd to cheer for him.

Bobby jumping back up to his feet, pulling off his jacket throwing it at some seventy year old rich debutant he reproached her pulling her in and out along with the song, placing a firm hand on her waist and the other tightly grasped within hers, Bobby singing quietly under and out of breath until the song ended, keeping a hold of her so that she wouldn't leave the floor. The crowds cheering came to end and Barbara didn't care that she probably made a complete fool of herself, but she had fun doing it.

The band switched to a slow piano tune and a female singer came on stage singing a melody. "You staying?" Bobby asked her. She only nodded with a smile meeting his forehead with hers, then shifting to look over his shoulder. Barbara met the eyes of Bruce looking somewhat more relaxed then normal, happy to see that she was having a good time for once, him going on with his conversation with Warren about who knows what. Bobby began slightly turning in a slow circle so now that she could see Tim, still at the food table, his back to her. Then a little more she turned and she saw those eyes she looked into so many times.

Dick just watched her dancing with some guy she seem to know pretty well, but him personally he never laid eyes on before. He kept trying to recall if this was some old college fling that she might have had. His eyes shifting to meet hers across the room, the singer's voice carrying across the room into the crowd. It was almost if it was yesterday when she was returned to him, returned to him by his own hands. Before she knew it Dick had left the ballroom.

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_She could still feel the flames of the oil rig fire on her skin, hell she smelled of soot and smoke. Batman and Robin were no more than ten feet away from her filling the authorities in on all the details including the apparent death of Mr. Freeze and the rescue of Nora Fries' body. Paramedics were taking Barbara's vitals, her father speaking to rescue crews working busily to wrap up the case in the salty air shore line. _

_She was exhausted; all she could think about was going home, taking a shower and going to bed. Then she remembered that Dick was probably arguing with someone trying to get through the police to see her._

"_Now I need to get my daughter home gentleman." She heard her father's voice speak to the others bringing her out of her dreamy haze as he helped her to her feet._

"_Daddy, have you heard from Dick?" She asked quietly._

"_I tried calling him sweetheart on the way here, but there was no answer. I'm sure he will call one of us soon." Barbara just nodded as he opened the car door and she slid into the passenger seat of his old brown Buick._

"_Just take me home Dad." Her father opened his mouth to protest, "Just take me to the dorm."_

_Robin had barely heard the words that were spoken between them as he kept replaying them in his mind. He was running know from the Batplane to the showers back at the cave, undressing as he did so. He had to get there fast to show that he cared, and wasn't just some rich boy's heir who didn't give two shits about her._

_He arrived to her dorm building on his motorcycle in record time, waiting patiently shifting back and forth in the elevator to the 9__th__ floor of her building. The doors opened with the standard ding, walking quickly to closely the end of the hallway, he knocked on her door, only to hear no noise, no sound. Had he really beaten her there?_

_The hour and half drive from the shore line to her building, she barely could keep her eyes open. "Are you sure you don't want to stay at my house honey?" _

"_I'm tired Daddy, I just want to go to bed." She replied once more for the twentieth time between her nodding off here and there. "I'll call you in the morning when I wake up. I love you Daddy."_

"_Love you to honey. Sleep well." He replied back with a small smile as she shut the car door. _

_It had to be close to three o'clock in the morning she thought to herself as she rode up in the elevator alone, taking off her high heel shoes that were killing her feet, now holding both shoes in one hand, her extra set of keys in the other cause pretty much who knew where her purse was since the polar bear attack at the restaurant. She exhaled as her shoulders slumped a little more as she seemed like she had just been defeated. The common ding of the elevator doors opened as she stepped out still looking at the tile floor of her hallway._

_Dick heard the ding to the elevator doors as they slid open seeing Barbara walking out barefoot in her blue dress. The same dress that had been wearing from the swing club the last time they were out almost a week ago. She exhaled again lifting her head to see Dick standing there waiting for her to arrive outside her apartment door. Barbara had stopped in her steps and shifting a little more to be relieved that he had not forgotten about her. He looked exausted just as much as she, except for the fact that he seemed a hell of a lot cleaner then she was._

_Neither one of them spoke as she continued to walk towards him as a smile started to grow on her face and her eyes began to sting with tears. Finally she was close enough to him to be wrapped in his arms as he brought his lips down to hers. The fact that she smelled of firewood didn't faze him. His hand began sliding down her arm to find her keys taking them out of her grasp, still not releasing her as he pushed the key into her lock so that her door swung open, dragging them both inside._

_The shoes that she was carrying hit the floor as she discarded his leather jacket from his body, so that it laid crumpled on the floor with them. The clinking of keys hit her desk as they passed by it. If it wasn't for Jenny, her roommate arriving a minute later, things would have been perfect._

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Warren excused himself to dance with his purple haired date and Bruce only nodding to them in agreement. He passed through the crowd, glancing around for his date Katherine only to see her getting a drink from the tall, dark haired bartender who looked like he could be a pro wrestler instead of serving drinks to the high society of Gotham City. Katherine glanced quickly in his direction, gave a quick smile before she returned her attention back to the bartender.

He needed fresh air, grabbing a glass of what seemed to be hard scotch on the rocks from a nearby waiter's tray, the waiter only sighing and returning back to the bar to replace it. He was on the building's balcony a moment later, both hands clasping the dewy glass, over the skyscrapers railing. His thoughts were all over the place as he swirled the amber liquid around in the glass watching the ice cubes go with it.

He felt a strong breeze kick up and the smell of magnolias caught his nostrils making him realize that he wasn't alone on that balcony. He shifted a little straighter, glancing to the left of him noticing a tall woman, dressed in a white pant suit, her arms crossed, glancing across Gotham's skyline. She didn't even seem to notice him until she caught him staring at her. Her long, wavy brunette and what seemed to be streaked with white hair, blowing around her flawless skin.

She met his blue eyes with her green and gave a small smile that showed off her white teeth between two pale pink lips. She didn't seem that she wanted his or any one else's attention that evening. Their eyes lingered on one another when she finally broke contact with him and turned her attention back to the night sky, taking in its air and view.

Bruce's eyes continued to look at her, for whatever reason she seemed unique to him. He glanced back to the drink in his hand glancing what was left of the strong liquor, downing it, turning towards back to the city skyline to see what the woman could be looking at with so much interest. He heard no sirens, no screams, and no gunshots. _"Hell, she might be just be day dreaming"_ he thought to himself.

Then the scent of magnolias were overcome and replaced with _Chanel No. 5_. A smell he would never forget cause not only did many woman in Gotham choose to wear it, just a certain someone in black leather and a whip consider it one of her favorites.

"Hello Bruce." Her sultry voice caught the night air bringing it to his ears with the violins from the band inside finishing the song.

He stood straighter, turning around in the direction of Selena Kyle. He noticed the stranger off to the left still out on the balcony, but this time, her posture changed to both of her gloved hands resting on the railing looking over into the streets below eyes not bothering with the two of them.

"Selina." That is all he could manage as he slowly dragged his eyes from the woman dressed in white to the woman dressed in a black form fitting gown, with long sleeves that continued up to her shoulders and across her neckline. Her long black hair pulled back loosely to show off her face so that the rest could cascade down her bare back exposed by her dress. She truly wasn't showing off much, but yet she looked stunning, just the way he remembered her when they first met years ago.

"I heard that you got married." He stood still to her statement realizing that she must have been following him in the tabloids. "I also heard that it didn't last long." Selina spoke once more taking a few steps towards him.

"It wouldn't last long considering she was just some botany project gone seriously wrong." He replied back as he noticed now that she was about a foot from him, both of her hands clasped behind her back trying to grasp every word he was saying. Then she noticed the other woman out on the balcony, still looking straight down into the city below them.

Selina's attention returned to Bruce as her hands came out from behind her, sliding them up on his chest, grazing her painted black nails up and over his lapels of his jackets, sliding them under his coat to his white shirt. "I think we should talk…alone." It came out more of a command than a suggestion as she met his eyes.

"I think we should." He slightly nodded not breaking eye contact with her.

"Your office is two floors up from here isn't it?" He only nodded to her once more, grasping both of her hands in his, pulling them down to his side, taking a step by her pulling her with him so that she follow. That's when he glanced over to the other woman on the balcony. He practically forgot all about her except the fact that she was looking right at him. A look that made him stop right in his tracks, Selena ungracefully bumping into him. "What is it Bruce?" He heard her voice, but yet still not breaking eye contact with the tall brunette. It was a look of worry and warning, a look that could make a complete stranger ask if she was okay, that if he could help her in someway.

"Bruce?" Selina asked once more a little more stern.

"Miss, are you alright?" Bruce finally asked without even thinking about the words that came out of his mouth.

The stranger quickly took a step toward him, lending a hand out. She opened her mouth to speak to him, but was covered up by the explosion from the ballroom's main doors and the screams from inside, making Bruce change his attention to the commotion and taking a step back onto the balcony, protecting Selina behind him.

Bruce could hear the coughs and cries as people returned back to their feet as several men poured into the main doors telling people to be quiet and shut up, pointing their guns at the civilians.

Bruce scanned the crowd for the rest of his teammates and could only seem to find Barbara being helped back to her feet by that Bobby character that she been dancing with. The explosion caused a cut across her face that Bobby seemed to be concerned about, only for her to motion that she was okay. Barbara's eyes began to quickly scan the chaos for Bruce finally seeing him safe out on the balcony, with _Selina Kyle_.

She had whispered to the man who was being protective of her and he only nodded in response. Bruce's attention was brought away from hers when the echoing voice and red eyes appeared through the dust of Mr. Freeze, his freeze gun pointing randomly at the crowd. Bruce still didn't move, feeling Selina's grip get tighter, he than looked for Clark. There! By the bar, helping Lois back to her feet, she seemed to be cradling her head. Clark quickly checking the crowd for Bruce, seeing him and give him a nod of the circumstances at the present time.

"Excuse this intrusion ladies and gentleman; however we will only be taking a quick moment of your time." Freeze spoke to the crowd in his iced voice. "We have not come for your money or personal items…just for one person only we have to deal with tonight."

Instantly Bruce thought of Barbara. Freeze was trying to get to her again, why? Then he noticed that Freeze's attention just scanned over her and turned towards him out on the balcony, raising his freeze gun towards Bruce himself.

"So, I don't get!" A Long Island accented voice spoke up. Freeze's attention being shifted to that very distant cousin, Bobby who was know standing away from the crowd, singling himself out.

"My dear boy, what do you not get?" Freeze responded turning his attention away from Bruce to the arrogant party boy.

"You just walk around freezing people?" Bruce couldn't believe how arrogant and gutsy this kid was acting, but then he realized he seem to by buying Bruce time. Bruce quickly scanned above him and the crowd for an easy way out. He even looked back over the balcony to see if the other woman was okay, but she was watching curiously through the tinted glass at the stand off. "That's pretty dumb if you ask me, I mean all they have to do is take a hot bath and they will defrost in no time." Bobby continued to talk bringing Bruce's attention back to the two men; he glanced quickly at Barbara who seemed that she was enjoying the stand off.

"Well, if it is seems so easy to you." Freeze pulled the trigger to his freeze ray gun covering Barbara's friend in ice, making him look like a life size statue. The crowd gasped and Bruce heard women begin to sob. "Does anyone else care to challenge me?" Freeze spoke up once more waving his gun towards the crowd, making people shake and scream as they stood.

Then Bruce's demeanor began to change as he watched the man that Freeze just froze begin to walk towards Freeze himself. The crowd began to create a stir as an icicle shot out of the man's hand and hit Freeze's gun knocking it out onto the floor.

"Like to see you do that fish bowl." The ice man spoke to Freeze challenging him once more, Freeze as always had no expression on his face, "Get Wayne!" his voice bellowed.

The thunderous sound of running shook the floor as Bane came running into the room heading straight for him and Selina on the balcony. It caught him completely off guard, Selena loosing her grip some from his hand. Bane was no more than five feet from him, when the stranger on the balcony back handed Bane with her fist knocking him flat on his back, pushing him across the room's floor.

"Ah think the party's over now Sugah." The brunette spoke to him in a sultry Southern voice as she gave him a sexy smile. Gun shots began to be fired into the air and the people began to run to the doors to exit. The brunette attention turned back to Bain as he stood up and poured more venom into his veins, making him twice as large as before. Then Bruce couldn't believe his eyes and either could Bain cause he was sinking into the floor until all you could see was the top of his shoulders and his large head above the floor.

Kitty rose out of the floor in front of Bain and between this mysterious balcony woman. "Kit, get Wayne out of here!" The Southern woman spoke.

Katherine registered her command and headed in Bruce's direction. "You heard Rogue; it's time to go Bruce!" Kit yelled over the gunshots and screams, reaching for Bruce's arm. "What ever you do, don't get separated from me. Let's go, we'll explain later."

Bruce ran from the room noticing that Barbara was still there only to be covered by a man changing to steel to deflect the bullets being fired that ricocheted of his body. "She'll be okay Bruce." He heard Kitty speak over the commotion as they exited into the hallway; the sprinklers had been activated soaking them.

"This way." Bruce shouted a command to head down the "L-shaped" hallway towards the staircase, Selena behind him, Kitty at his side. Stopping abruptly to Rogue being thrown through the ballroom's wall that exited into the hallway, landing with a crush into an adjacent wall.

"That's it Buddy! The gloves are off!" She responded pulling each glove off tossing them on the ground, discarding her white jacket to reveal a green silk top underneath. Paying no attention to the others near her, Bruce heard Bain's laugh from inside the room only to be quieted by the crackle of a red flying object. Rogue began to re-enter the room once more as the three passed by her.

"The tube in the back of his neck is the source of his strength." Bruce shouted to the woman, getting her attention, she nodded to his statement as she reentered the room through her man made hole.

They continued through the indoor rain as they rounded the corner only to be stopped once more as a ceiling vent was exposed. Below it stood a crouched black figure, rising to their feet, a face mask covered their face only exposing their green eyes to them.

Kitty quickly grasped onto Bruce's arm ready to phase through the doors to another room, when the figure began to speak.

"I suggest you ditch the company Brucie." Bruce couldn't believe his ears as the figure spoke in a women's voice. A sultry voice that he was very familiar with, he then switched his attention to Selina beside him, her eyes not leaving the black dressed woman in front of them, Bruce instantly letting go of her hand. In all of this Kitty's hand never seem to be leaving his arm.

The dark masked figure shifted a little more removing her mask to reveal another Selina Kyle. "I have a feeling that you didn't plan on me being here tonight." She was talking to the other Selina Kyle dressed in the formal wear.

She took a step away from Bruce her voice changing as she laughed her eyes turning from green to solid yellow, Kitty's grasp grew tighter as she began to tug at Bruce's arm. Selina's gown disappeared only to be replaced with blue skin, yellow eyes, red orange hair, clad in a white dress adorned with skulls. The blue skinned woman pulled a revolver from her back and aimed it right at Bruce firing.

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**Author's Note: Sorry it has taken so long to finally put up a chapter. Thanks to all that continue to review my work. I know that I am not that good and doing the action sequences, but I hope I get better as I go along. My next chapter should be for my other story that I have neglected "Just Being Me" I hope to have something up soon.**

**The song that I had in mind playing during when Bruce and Selina see each other again is "Hurt" by Christina Aguilera**

**Thanks again!**


	6. College Years

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

* * *

The cool night and damp city streets meant that summer was coming as Dick Grayson crossed the busy street in front of Wayne Enterprises weaving between yellow taxi cabs to find an escape.

He thought of her eyes as they looked into his soul as she danced with someone else tonight. It's not like he had been innocent in the past two years on his worldly travels, but being constantly in touch due to their extracurricular activities were bringing old feelings back and most of all old _memories_. They would see each other as kids here and there outside of Gotham Prep, random police charities and city functions that they were both dragged to, but it wasn't until college that the first time he actually _saw_ her. It's the same image he sees every time he pictures her in his mind.

_It was fall. Crisp and clean air filled the outskirts of Gotham State's campus on a side street known as Fraternity row. Brian, Dick's college roommate and the football star of the University knew where all the parties were at all times and Dick occasionally tagged along when his night duties went low key. Trying to keep the image up as Bruce did. Brian and Dick had fun every time they went out; sometimes ending with an early greasy breakfast at the 24 hour Coney Island, or a random girl coming home one or both of them. In the end, it was all in good fun as they say._

_Dick had been at the party for an hour…maybe two before she came. Brian already had his arm around a blonde girl name Jenny that he believed was the Mayor's daughter. They were casually laughing on the couch together in the basement of an old Frat house, Dick sitting on the arm of it watching an intense game of beer pong slightly bored._

_A ping pong bounced off the cup's rim bouncing off the table top then on to the floor bouncing in front of her shoes as she reached the bottom step of the stairs. She was slim, but athletic maybe no taller than 5'6" without the 2" heal she was wearing. She was wearing black laced front knee high boots outside of dark blue jeans, a white snug cotton tank underneath a short leather tan biker jacket. Her hair was down and her blue eyes done up smoky like. She was every bit of sexy to him including confident. _

_She greeted a few random gents that hugged her and pointed her in the direction of where he was sitting. She nodded and waived them off trying not to interfere with the intense beer pong game still in play. _

"_Babs!" Jenny screeched as she approached the three of them. "Thought you were on a date?"_

"_Crash and burned, him not I." the red headed stated. "Still see you are trying to get in my roommates pants Bri." She was blunt._

"_Still see you're observant Gordon." Brian quickly responded. "Barbara Gordon, this is my roommate Dick Grayson." _

"_Hello." She finally noticed him at the edge of the couch, sticking out a hand and a smile to great him with._

_He gave a hello back and an awkward silence came to follow as Jenny and Brian continued on with their chit chatting and giggling._

"_Drink?" Dick stated._

"_Absolutely." And they left the couch couple to their drunken red cup conversations._

* * *

_The upstairs level was packed with bodies, spilled drinks, and loud music. After several attempts of trying to hear what the other one had to say she gave a nod to follow her up the stairs to the second level._

_When she reached the top level, she pushed her beer cup into his hand as she gave the painted window a hard knock of her fist to get it loose and open. Stepping out onto the roof giving him a nice look of her "assets" and turning back to him reaching for her cup, "Well, are you coming?"_

"_Let me think about this? Single boy meets single girl who wants to go drink privately in a secluded dark area and while my exit to where ever we are going to she gives him a nice view of her ass. I think it would be stupid for me not to follow," As he made his exit as well following her laugh._

_Music from the downstairs level could be heard as they took their seats on the black roof shingles overlooking the street and party below. She was a woman after his own heart, view from a rooftop._

"_So, you had a date tonight that crashed and burned, huh?" Dick making small talk watching the party goers._

"_I did. I was leery about it in the first place, but come to find out he is a crim major looking for an in with my father. Always trust your gut, should have never wasted my time." She stated taking a drink of her beverage._

"_I don't think it was a complete waste." He stated._

"_How you figure?" She questioned._

"_Well, if it wasn't a crash and burn date as you so-called put it, then you wouldn't be here now afterwards."_

"_Look at you being all Mr. Positive," she shifted leaning back on her elbows looking up at the star covered sky, the few stars you could see anyways from the city lights. Dick shifted his position to match hers._

"_Major?" He asked._

"_Computer Technology came on a gymnastics scholarship. You?"_

"_Pre-law and criminology, but don't worry I am not trying to get an "in" with your father."_

"_I know you're not, your adoptive father is all you need to get an "in" with anyone."_

"_Ah. So, you do know who I am?"_

"_I do, how could I not? We only saw each other a dozen times growing up around school and with parents like ours; I am surprised this is our first real conversation. Surprise you know who I am."_

"_Every guy should know you if they don't."_

"_Why is that?"_

"_A guy should stay away from the cop's daughter." She quickly gave him a slug in the shoulder to his smart remark making him rub it acting like she actually did damage._

_Silence came over them as they looked to the sky over hearing the noise below them and the music changing to Journey's "Faithfully". _

"_Good tune." he stated quietly._

"_Best." She returned._

_Silence as they listened._

"_Circus life on to the big top world…" Dick said the one line that always stuck out to him, Barbara let a small laugh._

"_Insert air drums." Barb let into a drum solo above them making Dick let out chuckle. "Through space and time!" Chorus to the song continued on as they listened._

"_Grayson!" They heard his name being called from inside by Brian._

"_Out here." He responded as Brian came to the window looking out as Dick shifted his body to lie on his side so that he hid his new friend. _

"_Time to go. Is Gordon out there with you, Jenny passed out drunk." Brian rubbed the back of his head with a shrug._

"_Tell him I fell of the roof and died. I am dead. Dead I tell you." Barb whispered behind him._

* * *

"_You're sure you don't want help getting her into your dorm?" Dick asked as Brian and he placed the passed out girl into Barb's yellow Wrangler, shutting the door carefully before she shifted and fell out onto the sidewalk._

"_No, I got this. It wouldn't be tradition if Jen didn't get drunk." Barb responded with swinging her keys back and forth on her middle finger, fidgeting almost._

"_Cool." Brian quickly answered and started walking down the street away from the two; Dick gave him a glance and the shake of the head in disapproval._

"_Sorry about him. He can be at times…."_

"_An asshole." Barb made a statement instead of a question._

"_Right. Well, Gordon it was fun sneaking away to rooftops with you. We will have to do it again sometime." He stuck out his hand and thought to himself, who goes on dates on rooftops beside Bruce and Selina and that's the last "couple" who he should be following dating patterns from._

_Barb laughed "Alright, sure." Shaking his hand in good gesture and then silence followed them. A large thud came from Barb's Jeep as Jenny's face hit the passenger window make streak of drool come across the glass._

"_Dick, you're being a dick, let's go!" Brian yelled down the street being impatient._

"_I got to go and get her home before she does damage to my Jeep." Barb stated as she stepped off the curb and into the street. "Grayson."_

"_Gordon." He nodded off to her looking at his feet moving in the direction of his asshole of a roommate as he discovered that evening._

"_Hey Grayson?" Barb called after him as she came back to the curb._

"_Yeah?" He turned to her._

"_Thanks for tonight, I needed that." As she pointed to the roof that they were recently on._

"_Hey…I'm forever yours." Dick told her._

"_Faithfully." She responded._

He was currently at the small pub across the street from Wayne Enterprises by himself and half way through a pint of dark ale. Old times, he thought. That's the problem, they were old times. Sirens were heard as another bar tenant opened the door.

"I think there was an explosion at Wayne Enterprises." Dick overheard the bar patron state.

* * *

For once in his life he blinked and was caught off guard. The sound of a gunshot, the smell of powder hit him as his body became light weight and feather like. Bruce noticed that there was a new bullet hole behind him instead of in his chest. He quickly shifted to disarm the blue skinned woman, but Selina beat him to it, pushing the gunman to the floor.

Water continued to pour from the sprinkler system and Selina fought her opponent, but they seemed to be an equal match. Bruce was about to assist Selina, when the floor began to slightly shake grabbing Kitty's attention as she began to tug on his arm.

"Ummm Bruce, I think we should go," she stared at the large shadow coming down the hall towards them, but Bruce ignored her and he gave a quick kick to the blue woman's side given Selina a moment to recoup.

Selina gave a quick once over seeming a little surprised that he had it in him then quickly losing her balance to another explosion that shook the building as more henchmen with machine guns entered the floor, they had taken out the elevators.

"Ummm Bruce, I think it's time to go." Kitty spoke as she was walking backwards away from the shadow that was still coming towards Bruce and Selina. Finally the shadow appeared around the corner dragging a henchman unconscious tossing it like a dead animal to the side.

"Dammit Lina! You were told to stand by until the signal was made!" The white skinned, dark blonde, giant man stated dressed in similar garb as Selina. Massive was an understatement when it came to describing him.

"The building blew up, what more of a signal do you need Cain?" Selina retaliated back.

"YOU'RE WITH HIM?" Kitty gasped in shock, as Cain took out another henchman ripping him in half exposing wires and sparks for an android.

"Partner." She simply stated back, glancing back to the imposter that she had been in a hand to hand combat with noticing that she was fleeing down the hall and back into the grand ballroom. "Dammit!" she stated quickly perusing her.

"We're the good guys now kid", as Cain spoke to Kit, disregarding Bruce's presence. "We got this."

"I highly doubt that you do," she responded smartly.

"Trust me; if I know my partner, she has a score to settle with Mystique."

"Why a score to settle?" Bruce quickly added as he began heading back to the ballroom.

"The Smurf bitch tried to kill her." Cain responded.

* * *

Hope this helps everyone and sorry for the delay.


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